An Israeli tourist pleaded guilty to unruly behaviour on a plane only to avoid spending 15 days in custody.

Fifty-two-year-old Boris Sapoznikov was fined €450 after he admitted to being drunk on a flight from Israel to Malta and manhandling his wife – who was also drunk – in an attempt to wake her up.

However, he was initially going to plead not guilty to the charge of disturbing the public peace. He changed his plea when he was informed he could spend up to 15 days in prison until another magistrate was assigned to the case, according to procedure.

Unwilling to disrupt his Maltese holiday by spending time behind bars, he changed his plea to guilty.

Inspector Silvio Magro prosecuted.